Homeless shelters expect influx as temps drop

Published: Thursday, January 15, 2009 at 7:43 a.m.

Last Modified: Thursday, January 15, 2009 at 2:30 p.m.

ASHEVILLE, N.C. (AP) — Homeless shelters in North Carolina prepared Thursday for an influx of clients as temperatures plunge below freezing across the state.

A night or two outside in subfreezing weather can be deadly for the homeless, said Amy Sawyer, coordinator of the city of Asheville's Homeless Initiative.

"Even with the shelters doing overflow, there still will be some people spending the night outdoors," Sawyer told the Asheville Citizen-Times.

Salvation Army spokeswoman Jill Carter in Asheville said her shelter and others were using mattresses and pallets on floors to accommodate extra people. Carter said blankets would be handed out to people who don't want to come inside.

"We put people wherever we have floor space," Carter said. "We'll even have some in the lobby."

The Salvation Army recently received a donation of 50 new coats and will hand those out, she said.

Brian Alexander at Homeward Bound, which operates a day shelter for the homeless, said his group would allow people to stay inside longer and hand out hats, gloves and scarves.

Officials at the Durham Rescue Mission are visiting areas where homeless congregate to try to convince them to come to the shelter to stay warm, The Herald-Sun of Durham reported. The mission also will distribute warm clothing.

The mission is planning to serve a warm breakfast Friday morning before officials go out to find more people to invite to the shelter.

The National Weather Service issued a winter weather advisory for seven mountain counties, calling for up to an inch of snow in some areas. Forecasters also posted a wind chill advisory warning of gusts to 40 or 50 mph in higher elevations and wind chills of minus 5 to minus 10 degrees.

Schools in several western North Carolina counties opened late Thursday because of icy roads. Officials said they didn't want school buses driving on icy roads in most areas and snow was falling in Avery County.

<p>ASHEVILLE, N.C. (AP)  Homeless shelters in North Carolina prepared Thursday for an influx of clients as temperatures plunge below freezing across the state.</p><p>A night or two outside in subfreezing weather can be deadly for the homeless, said Amy Sawyer, coordinator of the city of Asheville's Homeless Initiative.</p><p>"Even with the shelters doing overflow, there still will be some people spending the night outdoors," Sawyer told the Asheville Citizen-Times.</p><p>Salvation Army spokeswoman Jill Carter in Asheville said her shelter and others were using mattresses and pallets on floors to accommodate extra people. Carter said blankets would be handed out to people who don't want to come inside.</p><p>"We put people wherever we have floor space," Carter said. "We'll even have some in the lobby."</p><p>The Salvation Army recently received a donation of 50 new coats and will hand those out, she said.</p><p>Brian Alexander at Homeward Bound, which operates a day shelter for the homeless, said his group would allow people to stay inside longer and hand out hats, gloves and scarves.</p><p>Officials at the Durham Rescue Mission are visiting areas where homeless congregate to try to convince them to come to the shelter to stay warm, The Herald-Sun of Durham reported. The mission also will distribute warm clothing.</p><p>The mission is planning to serve a warm breakfast Friday morning before officials go out to find more people to invite to the shelter.</p><p>The National Weather Service issued a winter weather advisory for seven mountain counties, calling for up to an inch of snow in some areas. Forecasters also posted a wind chill advisory warning of gusts to 40 or 50 mph in higher elevations and wind chills of minus 5 to minus 10 degrees.</p><p>Schools in several western North Carolina counties opened late Thursday because of icy roads. Officials said they didn't want school buses driving on icy roads in most areas and snow was falling in Avery County.</p>